Video: BMW takes its autonomous 5 Series onto the autobahn

Filed under: Safety , Technology , BMW Last May we went for a high-speed run around Laguna Seca in BMW’s Track Trainer , a modified 3 Series that can click of two-minute laps without the driver touching the controls. Now, BMW has packed a 5 Series with the next iteration of the technology and taken it on to the open road. This latest ConnectedDrive experiment uses much of the same tech, but beyond the radar and camera systems on the 3er, it includes new ultrasonic scanners and lasers to re-read the road surface, lines and surrounding vehicles. We say “re-read” because like the system we sampled at Laguna, this version needs to have the road data downloaded into the car before it can drive sans human intervention

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Video: BMW takes its autonomous 5 Series onto the autobahn

Volvo shows off semi-autonomous road train tech [videos]

Volvo has announced they have successfully conducted a multi-vehicle test for the EU-funded SARTRE (Safe Road Trains for the Environment) project.

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Volvo shows off semi-autonomous road train tech [videos]

Video: SARTRE autonomous road-train enters final phase with trio of Volvos [w/video]

Filed under: Safety , Technology , Volvo This time last year, the Safe Road Trains for the Environment ( SARTRE ) program hit a milestone. Using a specially equipped Volvo S60 with a big-rig taking the lead, the EU-funded researchers managed to create the world’s first fully-functional road train , allowing the driver in the sedan to sit back and enjoy the ride without touching the controls. Today, Volvo – the program’s only automotive partner – has announced that the SARTRE program is in its final phase of testing, and that includes adding a few more vehicles to the rolling procession of autonomous cars.

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Video: SARTRE autonomous road-train enters final phase with trio of Volvos [w/video]

BMW shows off their semi-autonomous driving system [video]

BMW announced their ConnectedDrive Connect (CDC) semi-autonomous driving system back in August, but the company has just released a new video of it in action.

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BMW shows off their semi-autonomous driving system [video]

CES: Next Audi flagship will drive autonomously in traffic jams

Filed under: CES , Safety , Technology , Audi , Luxury Audi had plenty to announce at CES , including the debut of its new Audi Connect system and Touchpad-integrated MMI knob , modular entertainment platform, NVIDIA Tegra 3 chipset and its planned expansion of both infotainment and active safety systems. On the safety front, Audi execs announced plans to introduce a new system dubbed Traffic Jam Assistant, which recognizes when a driver is stuck in start-and-stop traffic and can be switched into an autonomous mode that takes complete control of the steering, acceleration and brakes. The system uses the front-mounted adaptive cruise control sensors combined with wide-angle video cameras to detect lane markings, other vehicles, barriers and pedestrians, and can control the vehicle without any driver intervention up to 37 mph.

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CES: Next Audi flagship will drive autonomously in traffic jams

First Ford Focus Electric heads to Google

Filed under: Etc. , Hatchback , Ford , Electric This time last year, Ford was pulling the wraps off the Focus Electric at CES in Las Vegas. Twelve months later, Ford is slowly beginning production of its first EV at its Michigan Assembly plant and dropped off one early example to the crew at Google. We’re not sure what the search giant is doing with Dearborn’s inaugural EV, but something involving either Google Street View or its autonomous vehicle program isn’t out of the question

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First Ford Focus Electric heads to Google